Woman to woman, a Muslim-American will speak of her faith

Egyptian native Hadeel Salman has happily called Cape Cod home for the past 11 years.

Johanna Crosby

Centerville Public Library hosts talk

Egyptian native Hadeel Salman has happily called Cape Cod home for the past 11 years.

“People in the community have been wonderful to my family,” said the married mother of three. “I feel blessed.”

Yet as a Muslim-American Mrs. Salman said she meets people everyday in the grocery store, at school and the library, who bring up questions to her about Muslims, particularly about Muslim women.

“Indeed Islam is the most misunderstood religion in the world,” she said. “It is important for us to educate people interested in learning about our religion and cultural beliefs.”

Mrs. Salman will shed light on both her religion and cultural beliefs in her talk “Woman to Woman: Understanding Islam” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 12, at the Centerville Public Library. Her Power Point presentation will focus on: what Islam means, the miracle of the Quran, who is the Prophet Muhammad?, and misconceptions about women in Islam. It will be followed by a question and answer period. The talk is billed for “Women Only Please,” according to the library press release. RSVPs are appreciated, but not required, by calling the library at 508-790-6220.

“I don’t think people are educated enough about Islam,” Mrs. Salman said during a recent interview.

She puts the blame on misinformation disseminated by the media and on Muslims themselves.

“I wish people would read instead of sit in front of the TV or read the wrong books. Let’s hear from the Muslims, not the critics. We know our religion better.” Yet she admits “some Muslims do not present Islam well to the West. It’s a responsibility on our behalf to educate people.”

Misconceptions about Islam abound particularly concerning Muslim women, Mrs. Salman noted. It’s commonly believed, for instance, that Muslim women are oppressed, uneducated and have no rights. Mrs. Salman maintains that nothing can be further from the truth.

“Islam teaches that women are equal, but we have different responsibilities,” she said. “The first thing Muhammad said was that women are sisters of the men. We are equals in every way. The Quran teaches this.”

Mrs. Salman added that “women are very spoiled in Islam. We are well taken care of. The last thing Muhammad stressed was that the men take care of the women. Our religion has been good to women. Voting was given to women 1,400 years ago, as was inheritance.”

Non-Muslims also get the wrong impression about the traditional practice of Muslim women wearing the hijab, a veil that covers their head.

“We are the same,” said Mrs. Salman, who wears the hijab herself. “You are a woman and I’m a woman. We connect. Just wearing the hijab does not make us any different. We feel the same things.”

Like some Muslim women, Mrs. Salman does not work outside the home.

“I don’t believe it’s my responsibility to go out and work,” she said.

Yet she noted that Muhammad was married to an educated woman and wealthy businesswoman and that the prophet worked for her.

Contrary to popular belief, Mrs. Salman said, Islam is a religion of peace and not violence.

“The word Islam itself means you will find no peace until you submit to God,” she said. “What we need to know is not judge Islam by the actions of some Muslims. There are the good and bad people in any religion…The people who do wrong and harm people, like terrorists, are using their religion to serve certain purposes. Islam is totally innocent of this.”

Mrs. Salman suggests that people seeking to learn about Islam read a good translation of the Quran, which was originally written in Arabic.

“Go to the words that we believe come from God,” she said.

Mrs. Salman acknowledged the current social unrest in her homeland.

“Maybe it’s not safe for people to go there now,” she said. “It’s not settled. There is no resolution or peace. I hope for the best. It’s going to take time.”

She and her family feel at home on Cape Cod, where they feel accepted.

“Actually, people like Egyptians here,” she said. “They like them a lot.”